Powering a channel for rural artisans

At a time when his MBA peers are buried under files, fine-tuning business plans and marketing strategies, Vikas Sharma is busy helping rural artisans sell bags, lamp shades, flower vases, etc.
His objective is to be a channel for artisans which can help them improve their quality of work and market their products at fairs and exhibitions at good prices.

A visit to the rural areas on the Orissa-West Bengal border during the first year of his management programme at the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) brought Sharma face to face with the lives of handicraft artisans.

These artisans were blessed with tremendous talent, but their creativity was limited to making bamboo baskets to sell vegetables, or elephants and horses to keep in showcases, says Sharma.

“I felt there was a need to guide them, teach them various handcraft designs, and help them sell those directly to consumers,” says Sharma.

He felt if the potential of these artisans is channelled in the right manner, and they are taught to implement new designs and create items which would be not just showpieces but of utility to the consumers, it would help them earn decent money and check their migration to urban centres.

Thus in October 2007 began “Parichay”— a venture started with an initial funding of Rs2.5 lakh from the XLRI Alumni Trust and ample support from the XLRI faculty that helped him present the venture idea at various entrepreneurial contests.  

Soon Sharma was granted a piece of land in Khasmahal near Jamshedpur by a NGO called SJVK (Samekit Jan Vikas Kendra) to set up a design and learning centre where artistes could stay and learn to create products like pen stands, card holders, lamp shades, show pieces, etc.

“We have professionals coming from NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) and NID (National Institute of Design) to increase the creativity of these artisans. Apart from the artisans who stay at the centre, we also source out products from other artisans in Jharkhand and help them sell those at handicraft melas, etc,” says Sharma.

He says that for several artisans, engaging in handicrafts is a seasonal activity which they indulge in post their commitments to cattle rearing and farming.

The craftsmen end up earning roughly about Rs3,000 per month.

Till now Parichay has worked with about 60-70 artisans and Sharma says the plan is to reach out to as many artisans as possible in the next two to three years from Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal.

The wares of these craftsmen would also get marketed at international fairs and exhibitions in years to come, says Sharma, once their quality and portfolio of work is enhanced.